The RMG marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a collective opportunity to recognize to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation. 

Marking this day is vital; so too is taking continuous action towards reconciliation in our country and in the direct spheres of influence and power we hold as a public art gallery.  Last year on our day of learning for non-Indigenous staff, we focused on learning about the specific recommendations in the Truth and Reconciliation Report for museums.  While on the surface many recommendations are more applicable to museums with Indigenous cultural property, we have acted upon the recommendation for “a cohesive collections strategy” by revising our Collections Management Policy, collecting intentions, and prioritizing acquisitions over the past three years of works by women-identified Indigenous artists. 

On this fourth National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 the gallery will be closed, and our non-Indigenous staff will focus on learning and identifying future actions.  I invite you to refer to prior lists of resources we’ve shared as well as events and resources by one of our supporters for programming at The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.  Locally, you can visit the City of Oshawa’s website to what is happening nearby.

We will continue to support and advocate for the self-determination of Indigenous people and communities.  We acknowledge that our organization is a colonial institution and that we are responsible for redressing the ways this has shaped the gallery. While these days and months are important, ensuring they are always part of the societal dialogue, our programming, and making our organizational systems and structures more equitable is paramount. 

Take care,

Lauren

Land acknowledgement

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery is in the treaty lands of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. This land has been the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg since 1700; before that time, it was stewarded by various communities belonging to the Haudenosaunee and Wendat confederacies. It is covered under the Williams Treaties and the Dish with One Spoon Wampum.

This area continues to be home to many Indigenous people from across Mishiike Minisi. We recognize the sovereignty of all Indigenous nations and are grateful for the opportunity to learn, live, and work on this land.

We acknowledge that the RMG is in treaty land, and respect our collective responsibility to protect and nurture the land. We also recognize the continuing impacts of colonialism and our responsibilities to redress the ways this has helped shape our organization. We are committed to working to address structural inequities and to centering Indigenous voices in the gallery.

Emancipation Day recognizes the date in 1834 that slavery became illegal in the British Empire, including in the colonies of British North America, which would later become Canada. Roughly forty years earlier, the legislature of Upper Canada (now Ontario) had passed the Act Against Slavery, which banned white land owners from importing enslaved people; they were, however, allowed to maintain ownership of individuals already enslaved, as well as the children of enslaved women until those children were 25 years old. Needless to say, this act allowed slavery to continue for years to come.

Similarly, in some places in the Caribbean, like Jamaica, slavery was not immediately abolished in 1834. Instead, on August 1, 1834, the government implemented apprenticeships, which were transitional programs that postponed emancipation for formerly enslaved people while prolonging the profitability of plantations. Four years later, the Emancipation Act was passed in Jamaica on August 1, 1838.

As we mark the 190^th anniversary of the Slavery Abolition Act, it is important to note that Black people enslaved and oppressed by white land owners participated in acts of resistance individually and collectively well before the act was passed by British Parliament in 1834, and in the years since. The Act Against Slavery in Upper Canada and the apprenticeship system in Jamaica are just two examples of the ways racist laws have resulted in incremental steps in the ongoing fight for freedom, justice, and equal opportunity. Decades after official emancipation in Jamaica was achieved, the Morant Bay Rebellion, led by Paul Bogle in St. Thomas Parish (1865), was evidence that the oppressive legacy of colonialism persisted after emancipation. Participants of the rebellion were severely punished or killed and Jamaican independence from Britain wasn’t achieved until 1962, almost a century later.

In her newest work, Pickering-based artist Christina Leslie focuses the region of St. Thomas as a way to honour the importance of the 1865 uprising in Jamaican history and of her father’s birthplace in her own life. In her series Sugar Coat, she pays particular attention to the impact of the sugar industry in the area, which produced exceptional wealth for plantation owners and other white elites in the British Empire by subjecting enslaved Africans to brutal work and working conditions. In her photography, Leslie hopes to shed light on the past so we can better understand our shared history and how we live together today. Her work will be on display in the solo exhibition Likkle Acts, which opens at the RMG in November.

Likkle Acts will be installed in the galleries currently exhibiting Contemporary Kids, which is outfitted with a selection of picture books and comfy chairs for you to enjoy. In August, we’re adding a new book: Abolition is Love by Syrus Marcus Ware with illustrations by Alannah Fricker. The book invites children to explore how love, justice, and care can act as paths towards safety and conflict management. Canada’s criminal justice system is a site of continued systemic inequality; as we prepare to welcome Christina Leslie’s work on slavery and the sugar trade, we acknowledge the systems that continue to uphold white supremacy and capitalism at the expense of human rights, collective health, and freedom.

Oshawa, ON – The Robert McLaughlin Gallery received an investment of funding from Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (OCAF) to support efforts to promote tourism to Oshawa, specifically as the City celebrates its centennial this year. The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) alongside many other community partners will mark this milestone of Oshawa’s centennial with special activities. 

Over the past two years, the RMG has actively supported the drive to increase cultural tourism led by Oshawa Tourism to revitalize downtown Oshawa and draw further investment in our local cultural, business, and culinary scene. 

As one of the key attractions in Oshawa, the RMG has a key role to play in bringing new visitors downtown.  Admission and access to public programming is always free at the RMG, which should encourage visitation.  The funding from OCAF will enable the RMG to utilize promotional opportunities that are often out of reach for the RMG financially. 

OCAF’s support will be directed to events including but not limited to:

• RMG Fridays, a cultural standout for Durham Region throughout the year, these events bring higher profile performers with roots in Durham Region to attract tourists.  The events include live performing arts, studio activity, gallery tours, and showcase local food and beverage partners.
• Contemporary Kids exhibition, an immersive experience over 3,000 square feet of exhibition space, with each artist creating zones of play and engagement throughout the gallery. Seeing the world as children do, the artworks will open up new possibilities for play and enchantment for visitors of all ages.  A free, fun-filled Family Party opens the exhibition on June 1.

Thanks to the support from OCAF, the RMG is well positioned through its vision, mission, and values to ensure that arts activities attract visitors from across the Region, province, and beyond to our Permanent Collection, special exhibitions, programs, and events. 

Quotes

“We’re thrilled to receive support from the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund to help celebrate the City of Oshawa’s centennial, especially during a year that OCAF itself marks 25 years!  Investment funds like OCAF allow us to reach new audiences and engage them with art at the RMG.”

• Lauren Gould, CEO, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

About The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) is the largest public art gallery in Durham Region. We believe that art cultivates connected and caring communities. As an artist-centered and community-oriented public art gallery in Durham Region, we bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage with art that inspires new perspectives, generates meaningful conversations and creates a sense of belonging. We build relationships with diverse artists and communities through art. The RMG works in collaboration with artists, partners,and audiences to present dynamic and inspiring collections, exhibitions and programs in an inclusive and equitable environment.

Today, the RMG’s collection of over 4,700 works focuses on telling the continuing story of Canadian abstraction. Each year we present Permanent Collection exhibitions alongside special exhibitions of contemporary art and artists. We prioritize engaging diverse audiences in new and familiar ways through our programming. We foster community connections and partnerships to create a greater sense of belonging.  We reimagine the gallery, making space for all. Annually, we welcome 38,000 visitors and 10,000 participants to engage with us and what we offer.

Quick facts

• The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) believes that art cultivates connected and caring communities. As an artist-centered and community-oriented public art gallery in Durham Region, we bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage with art that inspires new perspectives, generates meaningful conversations, and creates a sense of belonging. Annually, the RMG welcomes thousands of patrons to engage with our: exhibitions, education programs, volunteering opportunities, event spaces, shop, artist-in-residence program, and digital programming. Admission to the RMG is FREE.

About the Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund

The Ontario Cultural Attractions Fund (OCAF) was established in 1999. It has three aims: (1) to increase cultural tourism by providing investments to assist Ontario organizations to develop, promote and present one- off or first time events, or a significant expansion of existing activity, which are designed to attract new tourists and visitors to cultural events; (2) increase the earned revenue capability of the applicant organization; and (3) support events that foster economic growth and contribute to job creation.

OCAF achieves this by providing up front working capital directed towards the applicant’s marketing and promotional costs, with the investment taking the form of a partially repayable loan.  OCAF board decisions are informed by sound economic analysis and measurable results.

Since 1999, the Government of Ontario has invested $51.75 million in the Fund and the success of the initiatives in which OCAF has invested has led to a healthy replenishment of the Fund for future projects.

Quick Facts:

Between 1999 and 2022:

• OCAF has committed over $85 M to 885 projects across Ontario, in over 100 different communities
• OCAF-funded events attracted over 75 M visitors
• Total earned revenues of OCAF-funded events: over $280 M
• Over 9% of OCAF-funded project revenue was earned
• OCAF operation expenses have averaged under 8%
• OCAF has approved nearly $13 M for 297 events in rural and Northern Ontario communities. Those 297 events have attracted over 4M visitors and received over $40 M in earned revenue and reported an average attendance increase of 45% over the previous year

Contact for Media Inquiries:

Sara Rodriguez

Manager, Marketing and Communications

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

[email protected]

Oshawa, ON – On Friday, MPP Jennifer French visited the Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) as it was hosting a school group from John Dryden Public School. While there, MPP French formally congratulated the RMG on the work it has done because of receiving a two-year $171,100 Resilient Communities Fund grant in 2022 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to build resiliency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The Robert McLaughlin Gallery has made incredible contributions to our community through art and cultural programming,” said Jennifer French, MPP for Oshawa. “The Ontario Trillium Foundation’s $171,100 Resilient Communities Fund grant will ensure their staff has the technology they need, and allow them to better serve and engage with our community. Art does so much to cultivate connected and caring communities – and that is something we can all benefit from. Thank you to the Ontario Trillium Foundation!”

Thanks to the support given by the province’s OTF, RMG has been able to pilot new programs and expand the offer of school programming at the gallery. The grant has helped RMG by assisting with staffing and administrative costs, as well as purchasing program materials to deliver educational programs. Before the onset of COVID-19, the RMG was alive with education and learning activities including a full schedule of school visits, sold out art classes and workshops, and sought after camps.  When its doors closed to the public, the team pivoted and began experimenting with virtual learning.  As students returned to the classroom, the RMG’s programs were in high demand and the support from the OTF helped them meet it.   

“The funds from the OTF were essential to the RMG being able to meet the increasing demand for school programming and respond to requests from teachers.  Bringing the gallery to life again with voices and perspectives of students, while also piloting an outreach program has uplifted everyone’s spirits,” said Lauren Gould, CEO, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery.

As part of the strategy, the RMG piloted at-school programming supporting by 360 tours of the Permanent Collection exhibition and onsite workshops.  A suite of asynchronous learning tools were developed and shared on the RMG website for educators to use for free at their convenience.  With a goal of creating ease for teachers and students, the RMG hopes the changes have helped to meet community needs and provide opportunities for children and youth to engage with art.  

“Non-profit organizations across Ontario deliver programming that makes a difference,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “That’s why funding that my ministry is providing through the OTF is so important. Our government wants to ensure that these programs and spaces remain the heart of communities across our province.”

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested more than $110M into 1,044 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

Quick facts

• The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) believes that art cultivates connected and caring communities. As an artist-centered and community-oriented public art gallery in Durham Region, we bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage with art that inspires new perspectives, generates meaningful conversations, and creates a sense of belonging. Annually, the RMG welcomes thousands of patrons to engage with our: exhibitions, education programs, volunteering opportunities, event spaces, shop, artist-in-residence program, and digital programming. Admission to the RMG is FREE.

Associated Links

• The Robert McLauglin Gallery

 

• Ontario Trillium Foundation

Organization Contact for Media Inquiries:

Sara Rodriguez

Manager, Marketing and Communications

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

[email protected]

About The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) is the largest public art gallery in Durham Region. We believe that art cultivates connected and caring communities. As an artist-centered and community-oriented public art gallery in Durham Region, we bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage with art that inspires new perspectives, generates meaningful conversations and creates a sense of belonging. We build relationships with diverse artists and communities through art. The RMG works in collaboration with artists, partners,and audiences to present dynamic and inspiring collections, exhibitions and programs in an inclusive and equitable environment.

Today, the RMG’s collection of over 4,700 works focuses on telling the continuing story of Canadian abstraction. Each year we present Permanent Collection exhibitions alongside special exhibitions of contemporary art and artists. We prioritize engaging diverse audiences in new and familiar ways through our programming. We foster community connections and partnerships to create a greater sense of belonging.  We reimagine the gallery, making space for all. Annually, we welcome 38,000 visitors and 10,000 participants to engage with us and what we offer.

About the Ontario Trillium Foundation

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

Last year the RMG took time to discuss the many days and months of significance that are marked in Canada, and identify which ones were important to us as a team, to the communities we serve, and to partners and artists we have relationships with. That recognition will look different for each one – it may be a blog post like this, events or exhibitions, showcasing partnerships, or sharing community happenings. These days are important, and we also believe that this work is ongoing and happens throughout the year. 

In recognition of Black Histories and Futures Month

In Canada, traditionally Black History is a month of events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities. More recently, celebrations for Black Futures Month have emerged as a month long observance devoted to celebrating, envisioning, and working toward positive futures for Black people. Last year the RMG was fortunate to host the Region of Durham’s Black History Month event that focused on arts and creativity.  

This year, we wanted to share what we’ve been doing to shift our collecting intentions to have greater representation of Black artists. While it’s easier to find out about programs and partners we work with, the behind the scenes work of collection management doesn’t get shared as frequently.

In 2020 we started a collection audit to understand its composition and the diversity of artists included. We needed to know where we were starting to be able to measure our progress. Collection diversification is a slow process unless a public art gallery receives a windfall through donations or increased funds for acquisitions. The RMG has an annual budget of approximately $20,000 and prioritizes using this budget for the purchase of works by equity-deserving artists since we revised our collections intention in 2021. Today, there are only seven Black artists included, roughly 1% of our permanent collection, and that number has nearly doubled since 2020. 

We have a long way to go and we’re committed to building a collection that more accurately reflects the diversity of Oshawa and Durham Region. One of the artists that was new to the RMG in the last four years is Russell T. Gordon, an incredible abstract artist you can read about below.

We are committed to continuing to program the work of Black artists, build relationships and provide space for Black-led organizations, and ensure diverse representation on our Board of Directors and in our staff team to work towards positive futures.

Russell T. Gordon

In 2020, the RMG was offered a selection of artwork by Russell T. Gordon. When the offer first came in, curators Leila Timmins and Sonya Jones, were beyond excited to learn about this incredible abstract artist. Given his artistic achievements in abstraction, Gordon should be a more recognized name. The fact that he wasn’t known to curators at an art gallery who has an extensive collection of abstract expressionism, sheds light on the larger issue of inequity within Canadian art history – in particular the ongoing story of abstraction in Canada. The RMG was thrilled to add three amazing works by Gordon to the collection.

Born in Philadelphia, Russell T. Gordon moved to Canada in 1973 to teach painting and drawing at Concordia University in the Department of Studio Arts, where he was a faculty member until 1997. Over the course of his prolific career Gordon has shown in more than 100 solo and group exhibitions. His work can be found in many public collection including the Guggenheim Museum, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

Curator Maurice Forget wrote about the depth in Gordon’s body of work as well as his journey as an artist:

“Despite its rich layering, the Russell Gordon work product of the last 40 years is relatively simple to read, because it reflects his own social, intellectual and moral development as a man over that time, with all of his characteristics — most notably being an American black man — he searches for those universal truths which best express his own perspective on humanity… Gordon has sought and achieved in his art a freedom originating with redemption from the clichés of race and social standing, working towards a luminous vision of human life. There is a celebratory current in Gordon’s art.” (2010)

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery digitally transforms its operations with support from the Community Services Recovery Fund

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, community service organizations, including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, across Canada have shown impressive stamina and creativity in their response to the diverse and increasingly challenging needs of their communities. The Community Services Recovery Fund responded to the needs and supports for the sector so they could adapt for the long-term.

Before the pandemic, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) had identified that a lack of digital tools would hinder growth. Our priority during lockdowns was our community – we focused our digital strategy on engagement.  Still, the RMG had significant revenue loss in 2020-2022: 83% drop in learning activities, 82% drop in fundraising, and 73% drop in venue rentals and the shop. 

The RMG received $78,404 in funding from the Community Services Recovery Fund to digitally transform operations by transitioning to cloud based accounting software, adopting and integrating a point-of-sale system, and moving to more advanced fundraising software.  This project will help the gallery adapt to new ways of working through electronic payments, integration of financial tools to reduce manual processes for our reduced staff complement, and increasing membership and donation revenues.

While projects like these may not have as much obvious impact for the RMG’s role in the community, making these changes frees up valuable staff time to deliver more programming and modernizes our back-of-house function.  The RMG launched their new CRM database, Keela, in the summer and have worked with consultants Samantha Zimmerman and Anna Mathew to manage the transition to new financial systems.

The RMG is grateful to the Community Services Recovery Fund, $400million investment from the Government of Canada, to support community service organizations, including charities, non-profits and Indigenous governing bodies, as they adapt and modernize their organizations.

Quotes

“By alleviating the administrative burden on our staff, we will free up time to focus on our core activities.  Our operations team can focus more attention on visitor services, tours, staff wellbeing, and membership engagement. There are rare opportunities to invest funds in system and processes; we’re excited for this project to bring our operations up to date.”                

• Lauren Gould, CEO, The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

Quick facts

• The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) believes that art cultivates connected and caring communities. As an artist-centered and community-oriented public art gallery in Durham Region, we bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage with art that inspires new perspectives, generates meaningful conversations, and creates a sense of belonging. Annually, the RMG welcomes thousands of patrons to engage with our: exhibitions, education programs, volunteering opportunities, event spaces, shop, artist-in-residence program, and digital programming. Admission to the RMG is FREE.

Contacts

Sara Rodriguez

Manager, Marketing and Communications

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

[email protected]

About The Robert McLaughlin Gallery

The Robert McLaughlin Gallery (RMG) is the largest public art gallery in Durham Region. We believe that art cultivates connected and caring communities. As an artist-centered and community-oriented public art gallery in Durham Region, we bring people from diverse backgrounds together to engage with art that inspires new perspectives, generates meaningful conversations and creates a sense of belonging. We build relationships with diverse artists and communities through art. The RMG works in collaboration with artists, partners, and audiences to present dynamic and inspiring collections, exhibitions and programs in an inclusive and equitable environment.

Today, the RMG’s collection of over 4,700 works focuses on telling the continuing story of Canadian abstraction. Each year we present Permanent Collection exhibitions alongside special exhibitions of contemporary art and artists. We prioritize engaging diverse audiences in new and familiar ways through our programming. We foster community connections and partnerships to create a greater sense of belonging.  We reimagine the gallery, making space for all. Annually, we welcome 38,000 visitors and 10,000 participants to engage with us and what we offer.

About The Community Services Recovery Fund

The Government of Canada delivered the Community Services Recovery Fund  through three National Funders – Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada. The National Funders distributed funding to eligible community service organizations, including charities, non-profits, and Indigenous governing bodies, providing services in communities across Canada.